Examining Reasoning Practices and Epistemic Actions to Explore Students’ Understanding of Genetics and Evolution

Abstract

Examining reasoning practices and epistemic actions to explore students' understanding of genetics and evolution Abstract This paper focuses on students' discursive moves and reasoning practices while engaged in a task that requires making explanatory links between sickle cell disease and malaria. Both diseases pertain to key areas of the biology curriculum, namely, genetic variability and natural selection, and are connected to the theory of evolution of living organisms. Specifically, this study examines the intersections among rhetoric, argumentation and epistemic actions in supporting students' understanding of complex biological dynamics, which are interlinked across time and space but are often addressed separately in the curriculum. Data were collected over the course of two school years (2014-2016) with a group of twenty 15-17-year-old students and their biology teacher. The findings indicate that while rhetorical moves helped students mobilize data, the use of evidence to support claims remains limited. Conversely, the type of epistemic actions enacted by the students appears to be directly related to the type of data being analysed. Hence, rhetorical moves in combination with argumentation practices appear to account for students' differential performances in building more complex explanations of evolutionary topics. We conclude that further understanding of reasoning practices and how these are shaped by discursive moves is required in biology education to help students view biological processes in a wider context and thus gain a better understanding of evolutionary phenomena.

Not by Design Alone! Modelling Practices to Identify Students’ Frameworks of Evolution in Real-Life Contexts

“…This study adopts a qualitative case-study approach and draws upon discourse analysis as a method for analysing the discursive and rhetorical functions of modelling, understood as a repertoire of students' biological thinking (Ageitos et al, 2019;Brigandt, 2020). The study runs as a longitudinal project over two school years (2014)(2015)(2016), focussing on learning genetics and evolution through modelling and argumentation practices.…”

“…It may be helpful to make explicit connections in the classroom relating the disciplines needed to enrich students' understanding of evolution, such as genetics and bio-geography, geology and history. This leads to a second implication: for biology education to embrace a plurality of interpretational frameworks, including recent calls for the active use of openended concepts (Brigandt, 2020) to support understanding of complex processes, which are dynamic and multi-levelled, such as evolution; and for genetics and evolution to be taught together, through processes that engage students in connecting both domains (Ageitos et al, 2019).…”

The Go-Lab Platform, an Inquiry-learning Space: Investigation into Students’ Technology Acceptance, Knowledge Integration, and Learning Outcomes

“…For many countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan, Mendelian genetics is one of the main topics of biology in school science. However, researchers have unanimously found that genetics is conceptually di cult to learn and teach (Ageitos et al, 2019;Cavallo, 1996;Cho et al, 1985;Duncan et al, 2009;Lewis & Wood-Robinson, 2000;Stewart, 1988). Studies showed that some students have di culty forming conceptual relationships between alleles and cell processes like mitosis and meiosis because students require multi-level thinking and reasoning (Lewis & Wood-Robinson, 2000;Tsui & Treagust, 2003).…”

Using Aipotu simulation to promote evolution learning and teaching

“…2,3 There are many reasons why both teachers and students find teaching of the theory confusing sometimes. 4,5 In our proposal, we deal with two of them: terms/concepts as well as the understanding of the evolution mechanism. Moreover, the starting point of our approach lies in the molecular level of biology, in discussing and analyzing the genetic characteristics of a virtual world.…”

“…There are many reasons why both teachers and students find teaching of the theory confusing sometimes 4,5 . In our proposal, we deal with two of them: terms/concepts as well as the understanding of the evolution mechanism.…”